title: Perceptions of a reproductive health self-assessment tool (RH-SAT) in an urban community health center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physicians face barriers to incorporating recommended contraceptive and preconception health services, including reproductive life plans (RLPs), into primary care. With promising findings from early studies of RLPs, we examined the impact of a novel reproductive health self-assessment tool (RH-SAT) on reproductive health counseling.
  
  
  METHODS
  We created the RH-SAT for an urban community health center population and trained providers on preconception and contraceptive guidelines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess perceptions of the tool with 22 patients and with all 15 providers at the clinic. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using a grounded theoretical approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients and providers reported the RH-SAT presented new and thought-provoking material that promoted patient participation and facilitated counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This RH-SAT is acceptable and useful to patients and providers in an underserved urban health center. In accordance with Medical Communication Alignment Theory (MCAT), increased patient participation in reproductive health discussions may alert providers to patient interest in these topics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides preliminary evidence that the RH-SAT can help overcome barriers to reproductive health counseling in primary care. Providers may wish to incorporate tools into their practice to improve communication with patients about their reproductive health goals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA; Department of Family Medicine, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, USA. Electronic address: jbello@bsd.uchicago.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: Katlynn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adkins
authors.forename: Debra B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Stulberg
authors.forename: Goutham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D002641:Chicago; D003142:Communication; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D010465:Perception; D016742:Preconception Care; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Patient participation; Preconception health; Provider–patient communication; Reproductive life plan